Boo!

I try to keep my work appointments scheduled during the time that Robby is in school. I love the afternoon time that we have together, after I pick him up from school and before the evening becomes hectic with dinner, homework and bath time. These few hours have become "our time" where we play games, read books, sing songs or just talk. Although I try to avoid it, twice a week I have a late afternoon appointment so Robby spends the afternoon entertaining his Daddy.

Typically the boys play XBox, build with Legos or watch videos while I'm working. Yesterday I came home from work and, to my chagrin, the two were cuddled on the couch watching Ghost Hunters. I watched for a few minutes but switched the channel as soon as I saw Robby begin to cower, explaining that the show was too scary. I stood firm against the protests of both which promptly ended their paranormal seeking adventure.

Scott followed me to the kitchen, accusing me of overreacting. I reminded him that Robby is only six and prone to nightmares. The last thing we need is for him to be up all night because of a television show about ghosts! He finally acquiesced that Robby might be too young for the show and I agreed that, despite his young age, he did seem to be enjoying it.

We spent the rest of the evening trying to divert Robby's attentions from ghosts and Big Foot (evidently the pair had watched "Finding Big Foot" before I walked in on Ghost Hunters).  Tucking him into his race car bed, I was optimistic that we had put all thoughts of the paranormal out of his mind and was hopeful that he would sleep without a nightmare. As soon as I turned off the light he whispered, "You know Momom, there are no ghosts but I know that Big Foot is the real deal."  So much for having him forget the television shows!

To my delight Robby did not have any nightmares. Unfortunately, I woke up at 4 AM because I heard something move. I opened my eyes and I swear I saw an opaque form, the size of a child, wearing a Yoda mask staring at me. I screamed so loud that Scott probably jumped three feet straight up in bed. By the time he got his glasses on the scary little Yoda was gone. I was so startled that I couldn't go back to sleep. 

Apparently, I overreacted and Ghost Hunters does not cause Robby to have nightmares. However, simply referencing the show will cause me to wake up terrorized in the middle of the night by a Star Wars themed apparition.  Either way, the show and all talk of the paranormal is banned in this house! I'm too old for that kind of a startle!

Help Wanted

My increasing work schedule and responsibilities have forced Scott and me to reevaluate the division of labor within our household. I suppose this is a nice way of saying that I have refused to keep all of my responsibilities as a stay-at-home Mom since I'm working full time. For the first few weeks I tried to do everything but quickly realized that I was rendered exhausted and resentful by the end of the day. It became clear that things were going to have to change.

In order to lighten my load, it was agreed that we would hire somebody to clean our home twice a month. I was excited about this decision because I hate to clean. The thought of a crew of people coming into my home to scrub and polish the grime and dirt away felt like a wonderful luxury!

Unfortunately hiring a cleaning crew has morphed from a luxury into a headache. We have been trying to hire a professional service since October. I never thought it would be this hard to hire somebody but it seems that either they can't be trusted or they don't really want the job. This "time saving move" has turned into a logistical nightmare requiring more of my attention than I anticipated.

Our first cleaning service, highly recommended on Yelp, left both Scott and me surprised by the number of trash bags piled up outside. We knew that he had acquired our share of ad circulars and old magazines, but we were embarrassed by the mountain of trash that we had apparently been harboring. As the afternoon wore on I began to notice that I couldn't find certain items, particularly Robby's favorite cups, my travel coffee mugs and most upsetting--Black Bear.

Robby has slept with Black Bear since he was an infant, and although the stuffed animal looks dirty and dingy to others, we see him as well-loved and experienced. We began looking for Black Bear after dinner. When we weren't able to locate him, something told me to venture outside to the looming trash mountain that had been collected by the cleaners. 

My angst about digging in the trash quickly turned into the exhilaration of a treasure hunt. The cleaners didn't throw away old newspapers and magazines. They had simply collected everything that they didn't want to clean and anything that they considered clutter into trash bags to be thrown away. Inside the bags I found my travel mugs, all of Robby's CARS cups, a flash drive, two sweaters, a pair of Robby's pajamas, numerous cat toys and Black Bear.

Obviously, we needed to keep looking for a different cleaning service. The next company that I called failed to clean half of my house but charged me full price. Another simply didn't show up after scheduling two separate appointments. A highly rated company stayed for 90 minutes yet charged me for a full 2 hours. Although they did a great job cleaning, the discrepancy in time made me question their honesty.

I never imagined it would be this difficult to hire a cleaning service. I'm shocked by the lack of communication, work ethic and honesty that has been demonstrated by so many! Although I'm frustrated, I haven't given up hope. We still need somebody to help with the housework.  Today I have a new company coming to clean. Hopefully they will work out because, to be honest, I'm tired of looking!

Limb-Loss.Org

In the past, a prosthetist would evaluate the patient and determine which device was appropriate. The prosthesis would be built and the patient would be fitted without the opportunity to make key decisions.  In essence, the amputee had little or no involvement in the choosing of their own prosthetic components. Thanks largely to the internet, this trend is changing and patients are demanding information to become key players in their own prosthetic care.

The ability to research options and to seek the input and experience from other amputees is revolutionizing prosthetic care. Unfortunately, research into prosthetic options is not as simple as a quick Google search. Prosthetic manufacturers have been slow to recognize the power that amputees are beginning with wield when it comes to leading their prosthetic team. The majority of the manufacturer websites have been designed for the practitioner with the research needs of the patient an afterthought. The sites are often littered with jargon and specifications that makes deciphering and breaking down the options an arduous and frustrating task.

More than any time in history, amputees are embracing the prosthetic process and demanding devices that will work with them in achieving their goals instead of settling for a limiting device simply because it was "offered."  For new amputees, the process can be daunting and intimidating.  As amputees are becoming more proactive and empowered about their choice in components, I have long wished that a resource existed that provides user-friendly descriptions while allowing the opportunity to provide real life feedback from the user.

I was utterly delighted when I was introduced to limb-loss.org, an emerging website in our community. This is the only place I am aware of which allows amputees to openly review and rate their components. The site is constantly being improved with new features, but it looks like a promising resource! Take a look at the site and let me know your thoughts.

Lazy Weekend...

The marrow donation on Friday left me feeling physically drained. The procedure only took about five hours and although I can't describe it as comfortable, it wasn't nearly as painful as I feared. The sound of the machine and the pulsing sensation of my blood being returned to my body was the most disconcerting, but even those feelings were tolerable. In a stroke of irony, I was listening to the St. Jude's Hospital radio-thon throughout the donation. Hearing the stories of families with children who are battling for their lives certainly helped to keep my minor side effects in perspective!

After a week of preparation and a few hours, the entire process was over. I came home exhausted, depleted and strangely exhilarated. It was a wonderful feeling knowing that I was able to help somebody. Scott came home from work and was ready to assume his duties as primary caretaker for the weekend.

My weekend was spent alternating between napping in bed and falling asleep in my rocker by the fireplace. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't stay awake for more than a few hours at a time. I finally decided to give up and surrendered to the fatigue. As unnatural as it felt to lounge and do nothing, staying quiet was the best thing for my body to rebuild itself.

Thankfully Scott was adequately prepared for my weekend of lazing around. The fridge was stocked and all of the laundry was clean. I tried to make my anticipated weakness as unobtrusive as possible.

Knowing that I wasn't going to be able to play as much, I surprised Robby with a new XBox game. While I'm not a proponent of video games for babysitting purposes, the dreary weather coupled with my limitations while recovering created a perfect environment for gaming. Everybody was happy because I was able to rest and Robby was allowed to play for several hours a day. He proudly told anybody who would listen that he was playing the full version of Lego Pirates of the Caribbean, not the demo version!

I am still tired, but I can feel my strength beginning to return. I suspect that within a few days the entire experience will be nothing more than a memory. Despite the inconveniences, I have no regrets about my decision to donate bone marrow. If asked I would gladly do it again!

Donation Day!

Today is the big day! After a week of injections and inconvenient side effects, this morning I will go to the hospital and complete the bone marrow cells. I'm excited because I know that I will be donating something that has the potential of making a true difference in the life of another family. Hopefully I am providing an ingredient that, when used properly and with a lot of luck, might help to make somebody healthy.

In a few hours I will be in the hospital and my marrow will be "harvested." I've been warned that the procedure can take up to ten hours, so I should bring a book. Unfortunately, the injections have made it nearly impossible for me to concentrate long enough to read a novel. Perhaps I should take one of Robby's Dr. Seuss books instead! 

Regardless of the side effects and the length of the procedure, I am honored to be able to do this for somebody. I may never know the recipient, but I am hopeful that they will contact me when the required one year of anonymity is over. Even if I am never able to look the recipient in the eyes or give them a hug, I hope they know that I tried to produce the strongest cells possible, and I wish them a speedy and complete recovery. It is odd to feel heavily invested in the life of somebody whom I do not know! 

On another note, I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the recent situation concerning Oscar Pistorius. Scott woke me up at 4 AM yesterday with the news of the shooting and the subsequent arrest. I was dumbstruck, and it took his repeating the news twice before I was able to fully comprehend what had happened. My heart breaks for the young life that was so tragically cut short, and I ache for her family and friends.

Until all of the facts are known, I am going to refrain from passing judgment. We live in a society which is quick to jump to conclusions. I do not wear celebrity blinders, but I am not going to contribute to the rumor mongers until the facts come to light.

"The Stupids"

After dropping Robby at school, every day this week I've been driving directly to the hospital for an injection in preparation for the bone marrow donation on Friday. Before I began the regiment, I tried to research the side effects of the medication that has been prescribed. Unfortunately I uncovered little information about what might be in store. I was surprised that all of the donor testimonials that I found touted the intrinsic joy of providing the gift of bone marrow but no references to the preparation process. The absence of information began to concern me as I wondered why donors didn't chronicle their experiences.

The donation coordinator warned me that I could experience "muscle and joint pain, discomfort at the injection site and sluggish cognitive processing" as a result of the injections. My mind was instantly eased by her words. After all, I've been through far worse!  It has been several days, and I can attest that I now feel like an 85 year old woman with a sore bum and a severe case of what my family and friends have lovingly dubbed "the stupids."  My inability to think clearly is, without doubt, the most inconvenient side effect!

Tuesday morning I baked Mr. Bill a plate of cookies and went over to his house to deliver them. Mr. Bill looked confused when he answered the door asking me if I ate the cookies on the walk over to his house. D'oh! I had left the plate of cookies on my kitchen counter.

In the afternoon I became lost on my way home from work. When I finally got home I became frantic because I couldn't locate my car keys. When I finally found the spare keys, I grabbed a Hershey Kiss and headed out the door to pick up Robby. I was half way through my chocolate treat before I realized I had forgotten to unwrap it!

Stumbling out to the kitchen yesterday morning in search of my first cup of coffee, I quickly became irate when my Keurig wasn't working. I kept pressing the button but nothing was happening. I even pulled out the machine and unplugged it from the wall, allowing time for it to reset. Despite my attempted fixes, I wasn't getting any coffee. Finally, I had a eureka moment. I pressed the power button, turning the machine on.

I dug through Robby's closet to find his outfit for school. It was only after he was dressed and heading out the door that he nonchalantly asked why he was wearing his Valentine's Day shirt since his party wasn't until Thursday. I quickly changed his shirt and we headed to school.

Knowing that I was forgetful, I kept reminding myself all day about a weekly 3:00 conference call and was was proud of myself when I dutifully called in at the assigned time. Nobody ever picked up on the other end. I kept the receiver to my ear for 10 minutes before I realized that it was still Wednesday. My weekly conference call doesn't happen until Thursday.

After my conference call snafu, I decided that it was time to sit down and regroup. Sitting in my favorite chair, I put my feet up on the couch and became comfortable. That is when I realized how I was dressed for work.

Thankfully, the bone marrow harvesting takes place tomorrow so I only have another few days of "the stupids." For my own safety, I am keeping my activities to a minimum. The only thing I have to do today is attend Robby's Valentine's Day party at school (his shirt is already picked out) and a conference call (I already have the number programmed into my phone.) Scott is joking about putting the child safety locks on the oven so I don't get hurt while he's at work. Although I know he is kidding, part of me realizes that I might not be able to figure out the lock!

**Before I forget (which could occur at any time) I wanted to wish everybody a Happy Valentine's Day!**

He Passed!

Robby has been struggling with his self-esteem ever since his Dengue experience. Being sick for an extended period of time zapped his strength, both cognitively and physically. The struggle to catch up with his peers has taken its toll on my little guy. Robby blames the mosquito for his tiring quickly and being lapped by his friends on the playground, and I know that the perceived weakness bothers him.

Scott and I have been trying to buoy Robby's perspective by focusing on all of the strides that he has made since he became ill. Seeing his faltering self-esteem is difficult because he used to be so positive and self-assured. I am hoping that soon we'll be able to look back on this time as a phase and that his normal outgoing personality will resurface. I have missed my confident and happy little boy!

A few nights ago Robby achieved a goal that was hard fought and well-deserved.  He has been working towards moving into the next level in his ice skating class since November. While his classmates are often picking at the ice with their skates or running into the walls, Robby has been attentive and dedicated to mastering the requisite skills. After a lot of practice and work, he finally graduated his ice skating class!

He was beaming as he skated off the ice proudly holding his certificate of graduation. I haven't seen him exhibit that amount of pride for so long that I almost cried when he announced that he passed. He has been trying so hard and being successful and moving to the next level provided him with a much needed affirmation.

Robby was so excited about passing that he insisted on visiting Mr. Bill to share the news as soon as we came home from the rink. He talked all night about how hard he practiced and that he did it because he worked hard. For the first time in months, he admitted that he was good at something! He was so proud of his accomplishment that he slept with his certificate and took it to school to show his teacher and his friends.

I was elated to see Robby so proud of his accomplishment. I am hoping that this achievement will boost his spirits and will help keep the Dengue weakness in perspective. I know that he is going to be fine, but for the first time I think he is beginning to believe me!